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Prologue
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Since Olivia Antoinette Nott could remember the only thing she wanted more than anything was to make her parents proud, but being part of the sacred 28 wasn't an easy task. Ever since she learned how to talk one of the first words her family taught her how to say was: muggle. Olivia could never forget the sound of her parents voice and how it'll drop a note when speaking with such hatred. So like anyone could imagine it was a miracle that even when she grew up surrounded by a family that more than anything appreciated blood purity and more than anything hated muggles, she was a nice person. Olivia didn't care about a blood status, but the one thing she never could overcome was the need to make her parents proud and that was her curse.
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Nott Manor, 1968.
The Nott manor was white, marble white, with really tall walls and old portraits almost on every one, very long stairs, cold terrains and an even colder inside. The manor was cold, so much that you would think no one lived there, so much that Olivia sometimes joked to herself that it was warmer than her parents.
The Nott family consisted of Antoni William Nott: her father; Prisha Marie Nott: her mother; and her brother, Thomas Antoine Nott. In the Nott Family there was a costume that said "the children born from a new marriage must take their father's name as their middle", that's how Olivia got stuck with "Antoinette" and her brother with "Antoine".
Her brother, Tommy, was six years older than her, and he was so brave that she always wished to be like her brother. Many people would argue that Thomas was the reason Olivia wasn't bad, some will say that it was almost like he was the one who raised her.
"You already know it livie, in front of them you have to pretend, make them believe what they want to believe," said Thomas wiping Olivia's tears.
"Its hard, I didn't want to yell at Lina, it was my fault," said a crying Olivia.
"You Livie Nott are a really sweet girl, and I know you love Lina as much as I do, but to our parents she's just the house elf," said Thomas caressing her cheek, "Now, why don't you give me a smile," Olivia wiped her face and smiled.
Thomas tried really hard. When he learned that he was having a sibling he decided that they wouldn't suffer as much as he had, and from the moment Olivia was born it was his job to make sure she had a nice life. He couldn't argue with their parents but he would make sure that Olivia knew that not everything they said was true. And even though he would teach her to pretend and with that a lot more, the only thing he didn't teach her was that making her parents proud would give her that warm feeling in her chest, that she learn herself and that would be her downfall.
"Olivia, come down right NOW!!," Yelled Prisha Nott from downstairs. Little Olivia always flinched when her mother yelled at her, it was instinct.
"Go Liv, you don't want to make her wait,"said Thomas nodding his head at her and smiling. Olivia smiled, dried the tears that threaten to show, and fixed her dress. She walked out of her room and down the stairs, the first image she saw was her mother standing at the bottom of them tapping her foot impatiently, waiting for her.
"Lets go child! Don't make me wait any longer, you have a playdate," said Prisha in a hurry.
"I'm sorry mother, a what?," asked Olivia doubting her mothers words. "What? Are you deaf now? a playdate," said Prisha losing her patience.
It was weird for Olivia to hear those words from her mother, because every time she played in the living room or ran in the manor grounds, her mother would get mad. It was even weirder for her when her mother told her that she was having a playdate, with whom? She didn't have any friends. Later when Olivia with all the courage in her decided to ask why, her mother simply said that she needed a friend, a good one from a good family.
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The ride was filled with silence, Olivia was used to it by now, her parents wouldn't talk to her unless it was completely necessary and even then she could see their mouths twitching when they did. They arrived at a house with a black door, and her mother knocked.
"You better behave Olivia, this is a good and noble family, and I won't have you making the fool out of yourself and embarrassing us in the process," said Prisha holding very roughly Olivia's arm, and then almost like she remembered she had another child, she said, "Well at least not like your brother, you need this friend so you don't go around befriending the wrong kind," said her mother with a disgusted face.
"It's all right mother, I know, I promise I'll behave," said Olivia almost as a whisper.
"Good girl," when her mother said those words she was filled with a warm feeling that started at her chest and very quickly went to her mouth and reflected as a little smile.
The large black door was open by a woman dress in all black, and when Olivia looked up she could see the severity in her eyes, if this were the first time she had been given that look she would be petrified, lucky for her it wasn't. When that woman spoke for the first time she was sure she was petrified until she heard her mother's voice.
"Child, say something," said Prisha getting angry by the second.
"I apologize," said Olivia coming out from the shocked state she was, and then continued, "My name is Olivia Antoinette Nott, is a pleasure to make your acquaintance," said Olivia just like her mother had taught her, saying even her middle name because it's your father's name, you should be proud to have it. Her mothers words echoed every time she introduced herself.
"The pleasure is mine, now come in," said the woman that by now Olivia knew it was Walburga Black.
The inside of the house was black, in fact all the house had that same shade of black. You could feel the emptiness in the house, it was like no ray of sunlight could get through the windows. When they got inside they were seated in a small round black table, and minutes later a house elf came with tea and biscuits. Kreacher was an old house elf with a mean look but you could tell he loved his mistress. Once they started drinking and chatting away Olivia wondered if this was supposed to be the playdate, and was startled when Walburga Black spoke directly to her.
"You have to forgive me Olivia, but this boy won't come down, it's like im forcing him to play," said Walburga with a sour laugh at the end, "I think it would be better if you go upstairs and let him know that his guest is already here," Walburga nodded towards Olivia and the turned to Kreacher, "Kreacher take Miss Nott to Sirius' room".
Prisha nodded slightly, so Olivia got up and started following Kreacher. She barely knew what to expect, and the next moment she was going upstairs. What if this kid was a total git and she had to keep pretending in front of him. She remembered Thomas' words, when you have a friend it's easy with them, you don't have to pretend, and they will understand you. She kept thinking those words again and again, the only thing she hoped was that they were true.
Suddenly Kreacher stopped at a door, to say she was nervous was an understatement. When the door opened she was welcome by the sunlight coming from the window, it was blinding. The next words were spoken by Kreacher introducing Miss Nott to Mr. Black.
Sirius Black was a boy with black messy hair and the most beautiful gray eyes. He kept staring at her, just standing there, it was like he was searching for the right words. But he didn't want to wait anymore so he blurted out some words that sounded more like a scream.
"I'm sorry, what?," asked Olivia.
"You heard me, are you like them?," said Sirius but Olivia furrowed her brows.
"What do you mean like them?," Asked Olivia almost dumbfounded.
"I mean like my parents hating muggles and muggleborns, and saying they don't deserve to live in our world with us... cause if you are you're not coming in".
For Olivia, Sirius was very straightforward, and being who she was, she was scared. Many thoughts started to cloud her mind, What if this was a trap created by her mother? But then almost like a lifesaver she remembered Thomas' words you can't live in fear, so she spoke.
"No," said Olivia like a whisper, "I don't like when my parents speak of them, because they're always expecting for me to call them mudbloods," said Olivia doubting her use of that last word. Sirius smiled.
"Then you can come in, my name is Sirius,"said while jumping to his bed and gesturing for her to join him.
"My name is Olivia Antoinette Nott," said little Olivia with a wide smile, but Sirius laughed, "What?," Olivia asked a bit annoyed.
"It's a really long name."
"Oh! Well my brother calls me Liv," said Olivia with a smile.
"That's better".
Their families pushed them together for the wrong reasons, but they found the right ones to become friends, and from that moment on they were the best ones.
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